Wine packages - Are they worth the hassle?

Hi All,

 

Looking at options for wine on an upcoming 7-night Caribbean cruise on Nieuw Amsterdam. I'll be solo for this one. No unlimited drinks package.

 

The 4- and 6-bottle packages available online look like they might fit the bill for me, but my question is, does this lead to excessive delays in them 'tracking down' my bottle if I want to enjoy drinks at dinner, then also in speciality venues/the buffet/poolside/in bars & lounges during the evening?

 

Would I be better off just buying wine by the glass as and where I want it, saving time/confusion?

 

Also, can anyone confirm whether they sell half-bottle carafes of wine in the main dining room on board? That's usually about right for me with a dinner.

 

Apologies for the lengthy question; I know there are numerous threads on the pros vs cons of wine packages, but I can't find much info on the practicality of having bar staff chasing round the ship to locate my specific bottle each time I fancy a glass...

 

Thanks in advance for any advice :)

Hi All,

 

Looking at options for wine on an upcoming 7-night Caribbean cruise on Nieuw Amsterdam. I'll be solo for this one. No unlimited drinks package.

 

The 4- and 6-bottle packages available online look like they might fit the bill for me, but my question is, does this lead to excessive delays in them 'tracking down' my bottle if I want to enjoy drinks at dinner, then also in speciality venues/the buffet/poolside/in bars & lounges during the evening?

 

Would I be better off just buying wine by the glass as and where I want it, saving time/confusion?

 

Also, can anyone confirm whether they sell half-bottle carafes of wine in the main dining room on board? That's usually about right for me with a dinner.

 

Apologies for the lengthy question; I know there are numerous threads on the pros vs cons of wine packages, but I can't find much info on the practicality of having bar staff chasing round the ship to locate my specific bottle each time I fancy a glass...

 

Thanks in advance for any advice :)

They do sell carafes of several wines at dinner. You won't experience much delay in tracking down your opened bottles if you are in fixed seating. If you are planning to go to a specialty restaurant, you can always alert your wine steward and he or she will send it on ahead. You probably won't experience too much delay in open seating, but I don't know if it will be as prompt as fixed since you're moving around, possibly into different stewards' sections.

 

If you are are a 3 star or higher Mariner, the discount makes the wine package worthwhile.

Agree -- if you are a 3, 4 or 5 star mariner, it is worth buying a wine package.

We have been in the Pinnacle when people sitting near us had problems getting a bottle of wine from their package. They were eating their entrees when the Pinnacle wine steward finally tracked down their bottles. So it can be a hassle.

Agree -- if you are a 3, 4 or 5 star mariner, it is worth buying a wine package.

We have been in the Pinnacle when people sitting near us had problems getting a bottle of wine from their package. They were eating their entrees when the Pinnacle wine steward finally tracked down their bottles. So it can be a hassle.

 

As a four star solo wine drinker who chooses open seating, I have found the hassle of a wine package not worth the discount on shorter cruises. I want my wine when and where I want it, whether it be with pizza by the pool or at dinner in the MDR. On longer cruises I will get a package to supplement wines ordered by the glass on the spur of the moment or bought on wine tours.

Agree -- if you are a 3, 4 or 5 star mariner, it is worth buying a wine package.

We have been in the Pinnacle when people sitting near us had problems getting a bottle of wine from their package. They were eating their entrees when the Pinnacle wine steward finally tracked down their bottles. So it can be a hassle.

 

Absolutely agree. That's why it's important to let your wine steward know if you're going to one of the specialty restaurants. The steward will forward your bottle to the Pinnacle or Tamarind or Canaletto storage area for you. Just tell the wine steward in the specialty restaurant that your MDR wine steward sent your bottle ahead.

 

It pays to be an organized wine consumer. :):wine-glass:

Thanks all for the replies :)

 

Since I'm a HAL newbie there won't be any discounts to swing the decision for me, so I think I'll steer clear of the potential hassle of any packages/whole bottles of wine, and just stick to carafes with dinner and then occasional glasses of wine from the bars across the ship as my thirst dictates :D

I like the package (with my 50% discount, otherwise I would not bother) when I have Fixed dining as the wine steward has the bottle ready to go and either on the table or nearby.

 

For Open dining, it can be a bit of a hassle as I have to find the steward and then he/she has to go and find my bottle. This is not an issue if you sit in the same table every night though.

 

At Specialty dining venues, it can take quite awhile for the steward to go find your bottle and get it to you. Sometimes they do no seem to be too happy to have to do this (as they likely do not earn anything from this).

I've had issues getting my wine in the PG, even after advising my wine steward the previous night that I would be dining in the PG the next night. The PG wine steward told me the locker (wherever the wine is kept) was locked and she couldn't get into it. She did offer me a free glass of wine, though!

I had a problem with the wine steward on my last cruise. ( Three adjoining tables were shorted bottles within a few days. )

 

 

 

So, on this next cruise. I will buy a 6-pack (or whatever) for the mini fridge in the room and another for the MDR. ( Maybe put chalk marks on the table leg.) 26 day cruise with way to much OBC maybe another 6-pack.

 

 

I / we do not go to the PG so everything should work out.

We have bought the wine packages a couple of times, and except for the first night, had no problems. The wine steward brings it out and pours for you right away, we found. The only problem we encountered a few years ago, was we knew we still had one more bottle of wine unopened as part of our package, and the wine steward said we had drank it all. We knew we hadn't and the others at our table agreed that we hadn't had X number of bottles of wine. We really aren't big drinkers, just having a glass or two at dinner. The WS double checked and somehow the had counted the extra bottle we had paid for separately for our room, as part of the package. She quickly corrected and apologized. Last cruise we didn't bother with the wine package, and this cruise in Nov. we don't plan on prebuying it either.

Just off the Nieuw Amsterdam; here's my take:

 

We didn't have any trouble getting wine saved from one night to the next - though we did have to say where and when we would be dining next.

 

I don't have a well developed wine pallet, and wine is highly personal, but we didn't have great wine experiences on our cruise. Bottles in the Pinnacle Grill where we dined four times were pretty expensive (around a 75 dollar minimum; or 20 dollar minimum for a glass), and we ran into 2-3 options that were included on the electronic menu, but actually sold out.

 

We did try several wines. We got a 100 dollar bottle in PG on night one (the least expensive in stock Pinot Noir), but didn't care for it. We also tried to wine tasting and didn't care for any of the four pours served. Again, wine is personal and what do we know, but that was our experience :(.

 

Actually, our favorite wine was one we tried by the glass option in the MDR. The next night in PG, we got a bit frustrated with the options and price in PG, and actually asked for a bottle of the MDR wine from the PG sommelier - something that wasn't typical, but that he did promptly and with great service.

 

We had a great cruise and received great service from the sommeliers, but if we were going to do it again, we'd probably pack a few bottles and happily pay the corkage fee.

We often buy the wine package on our cruises. We get a discount because of our mariner level and that really makes the cost per bottle reasonable.

We always tell the wine steward if we are dining in a specialty restaurant the next night, and have never had an issue accessing our bottle there. We have never had a long wait for them to bring us the wine either.

We sometimes dine in MDR, but more times just eat in Lido, so I keep a bottle open in both locations!

Quicker service that way! DW just gets the odd glass of white, so they are still getting a sale from her.

I like the package (with my 50% discount, otherwise I would not bother) when I have Fixed dining as the wine steward has the bottle ready to go and either on the table or nearby.

 

For Open dining, it can be a bit of a hassle as I have to find the steward and then he/she has to go and find my bottle. This is not an issue if you sit in the same table every night though.

 

At Specialty dining venues, it can take quite awhile for the steward to go find your bottle and get it to you. Sometimes they do no seem to be too happy to have to do this (as they likely do not earn anything from this).

The main problem I have had in the MDR is finding a wine steward - they seem to be fewer and fewer each cruise, and appear frazzled with the number of tables that are their responsibility.

What i have done in the past is go to Happy Hour buy one get one 2$ then carry both glasses with me to dinner

Can the wine packages be ordered for the stateroom?

Can the wine packages be ordered for the stateroom?

 

Yes they can.

Thanks Kazu!

Make sure you bring your 1 free bottle on board....you don't pay corkage on it and can drink it in your room or some people pour a glass and carry to whatever venue they choose. You can also bring more bottles on and pay 18$ corkage

What i have done in the past is go to Happy Hour buy one get one 2$ then carry both glasses with me to dinner

I can think of several classier ways to make a grand entrance in the MDR :rolleyes:

I can think of several classier ways to make a grand entrance in the MDR :rolleyes:

 

My problem with this approach is that I would spill one glass and drink the other on my way to the MDR!

ShipsInBergen -

 

 

This information is from May 2018, so it's relatively fresh.

 

 

 

WINE CARAFES - Each Carafe is approximately 3 glasses, or 16oz

 

 

House Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio or White Zinfandel - $21.00

House Cabernet or Merlot - $21.00

Black Opal Shiraz, Australia - $23.25

Snoqualmie Riesling, Washington - $24.00

Beaulieu Vineyard Coastal Estates Pinot Noir, California -- $26.25

Nobilo Sauvignon Blanc, New Zealand - $26.25

Seven Falls Cabernet Sauvignon, Washington - $32.75

 

 

For comparison, the per glass price (usually a 5 oz pour) of the house wines:

 

 

Santa Carolina Chardonnay - $7.00

Zonin Pinot Grigio - $7.00

La Terre White Zinfandel - $7.00

Santa Carolina Merlot - $7.00

Santa Carolina Cabernet Sauvignon - $7.00

 

 

You're only getting a free ounce, if that - so you're not really gaining anything with the carafe. The three Santa Carolina wines don't get a lot of respect on Cruise Critic, but Wine Spectator has them all at 88 points for the most recent vintages. The Zonin Pinot Grigio usually runs mid-80s which is par for the course for the type. I got nothin' on the White Zin. We drink a fair amount of rosé, but I don't think I've had white zin since the 80s.

I can think of several classier ways to make a grand entrance in the MDR :rolleyes:

 

Yea, I'd ask my wife to carry one. But then she would have three :cool:

ShipsInBergen -

 

 

This information is from May 2018, so it's relatively fresh.

 

 

 

WINE CARAFES - Each Carafe is approximately 3 glasses, or 16oz

 

 

House Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio or White Zinfandel - $21.00

House Cabernet or Merlot - $21.00

Black Opal Shiraz, Australia - $23.25

Snoqualmie Riesling, Washington - $24.00

Beaulieu Vineyard Coastal Estates Pinot Noir, California -- $26.25

Nobilo Sauvignon Blanc, New Zealand - $26.25

Seven Falls Cabernet Sauvignon, Washington - $32.75

 

 

For comparison, the per glass price (usually a 5 oz pour) of the house wines:

 

 

Santa Carolina Chardonnay - $7.00

Zonin Pinot Grigio - $7.00

La Terre White Zinfandel - $7.00

Santa Carolina Merlot - $7.00

Santa Carolina Cabernet Sauvignon - $7.00

 

 

You're only getting a free ounce, if that - so you're not really gaining anything with the carafe. The three Santa Carolina wines don't get a lot of respect on Cruise Critic, but Wine Spectator has them all at 88 points for the most recent vintages. The Zonin Pinot Grigio usually runs mid-80s which is par for the course for the type. I got nothin' on the White Zin. We drink a fair amount of rosé, but I don't think I've had white zin since the 80s.

 

Thanks for this great info! That looks like just the ticket. I'm not really looking for a cost saving per ml (though a bargain is always nice); really just the convenience of making a single order and purchase and then enjoying dinner without the hassle of looking for a wine waiter throughout, etc.

 

Hopefully there will be something on that list that slips down nicely with dinner in the MDR :)

 

Thanks also to others for your input and advice. It's all building the excitement for my first HAL cruise!

We leave one or two bottles at a time in the Pinnacle. Makes it very easy, the wine is there waiting whether you go for dinner or lunch and the wine steward gets the credit for selling them and is happy about that.